Mandatory public holidayFixed date: 25 December every year
Christmas Day
About the holiday
Christmas is the family feast of midwinter: Athens and Thessaloniki light their squares, decorated boats stand next to Christmas trees, and the table carries melomakarona, kourabiedes and christopsomo. It is a mandatory public holiday for all sectors and opens the twelve days to Epiphany.
Who is off?
What the holiday means for each sector.
- Private sector
- Day off (mandatory)
- Public sector
- Closed
- Schools
- Closed
- Banks
- Closed
Every business must close; employees are paid without working (Law 4808/2021, art. 60).
Upcoming dates
The next years at a glance.
Impact on working days
2026
In 2026 the holiday falls on a Friday, so the working week has 4 working days instead of 5.
Christmas Day creates a long weekend from 25 December to 27 December 2026: 3 days off with 0 days of leave.
2027
In 2027 the holiday falls on a Saturday: it does not reduce the working days of the week and it is not transferred.
2028
In 2028 the holiday falls on a Monday, so the working week has 3 working days instead of 5.
Christmas Day creates a long weekend from 23 December to 26 December 2028: 4 days off with 0 days of leave.
Sources
Dates and legal status were checked against:
- Law 4808/2021, article 60 — days of mandatory public holiday (Government Gazette A' 101/19.06.2021)Hellenic Republic — Government Gazette (via e-nomothesia.gr)
- GSEE – KEPEA: Which days are mandatory public holidaysΚΕΠΕΑ / ΓΣΕΕ (Information Centre for Employees and the Unemployed of the Greek General Confederation of Labour)
- Law 1157/1981, article 1 — holidays and half-days of public servicesHellenic Republic — Government Gazette (via taxheaven.gr)
Last verified: 7 October 2026
Plan your leave
Taking leave around Christmas Day?
Pick your days on the calendar: weekends, public holidays and school breaks are already marked, so you see at once how many leave days you need and how long the break becomes.